Timeliness of Travel, Entertainment and Employee Reimbursements
Alan M. West, Assistant Vice President and University Controller
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 463 provides requirements that must be met for employee reimbursements to be considered non-taxable. The University of Florida must comply with these requirements to ensure the tax-exempt status of the University’s employee reimbursement plan is not jeopardized.
Beginning July 1, 2018 the University is standardizing the expense reimbursement process to address the timeliness of reimbursements and match the requirements detailed by IRS Publication 463 for all employee reimbursements.
All expense reports for travel or other employee reimbursements must be submitted and approved in the myUFL accounting system in accordance with the following rules:
1. Employee must adequately account for the expenses within a reasonable time, defined by IRS Publication 463 as no later than 60 days after the expenses were paid or after the date of return from travel.
2. All expenses must have a business connection and been incurred on behalf of the University or Direct Support Organizations.
If expense reimbursements are not submitted and approved within the 60 day limit, the amount ultimately paid to the employee will be included in the employee’s annual W-2 as taxable income.
Timeliness of Travel Advance Settlements
Per the State of Florida Disbursements Guide, any traveler who have received a travel advance must complete a travel reimbursement form and submit it to the University within 10 workdays of the traveler’s return. Employees must return any excess reimbursement or allowance within a reasonable time. Defined by the State of Florida Disbursements Guide, these items should be accounted for within 10 days after the expenses were paid or after the date of return from travel and no later than 30 days after the expense was paid or incurred.
Please contact Randy Staples, Associate Controller of University Disbursements, at 392-1241 with any questions or for more information.
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